“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”
Joshua 24:23 NIV
Joshua’s last recorded act as the leader of Israel was to challenge the people to serve the Lord. The people all responded enthusiastically that they would serve the Lord. And with one voice, they affirmed that he was their God.
In response to their commitment to the God who had brought them out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and into their new home, Joshua challenged them to throw away their foreign gods and yield their hearts to the Lord. These foreign gods included the gods of Egypt and the gods worshipped in Canaan.
Few of us today worship idols. At least not what we would call idols. But idols are not just carved or crafted images of false gods. An idol is anything that captures our hearts and minds, preventing them from being fully yielded to God. Idols today can include other people, work, possessions, or activities.
Joshua’s words to ancient Israel are as relevant today as they were then. If we are going to serve the Lord, we need to throw away our foreign gods and yield our hearts to the Lord. Sometimes that may be a literal throwing away, removing them entirely from your life. But it will more often mean letting go and yielding them to the Lord. My house becomes his house, and my job becomes a sacred workplace. All I have is his to use as he sees fit. And that is what God wants from me, to be a living sacrifice, fully given over to him.
